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OFFICE 2016

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As much as we businesses owners want to be personally involved every single aspect of our company, there eventually comes a point when the business is
growing too much for one or a few people. To make sure each part of the proverbial business “ship” is running smoothly, owners and managers must establish
efficient procedures, processes and systems.

Here are a few tips on making that happen.

Today is the best day to start - If you are reading this at your desk and have not begun to establish your company’s systems, do not
delay anymore. Develop three to four key areas in which you want to root your business philosophy and mission. These can be broad at first and
then specified over the next several months. However, the key is to get the ball rolling as quickly as possible.

Write it down - Documentation is crucial to your systems. Of course, you can audit and adjust things as necessary, but having the
procedures in written and printed form add a sense of stability and efficiency.

Anticipate possible issues - Sometimes, what seems great on paper may not work out as well in practice. When you establish those three
to four key areas of your business, analyze ways the systems can both succeed and possibly fail. Think in terms of productivity as a business owner,
manager, employee, vendor and client/customer. Engaging these perspectives can sometimes prevent future issues.

Give your managers a chance to review the systems before they become official - Similar to the previous tip, a roundtable discussion
via email, conference call or physical meeting can provide value feedback from people who will be responsible for implementing and maintaining
these systems on a daily basis. Allow yourself to be open to questions and possible critiques. Once you have a mutually approved list of systems,
document them and send out. Things may not come easily at first (like all new things), but hopefully your systems will help kick start a business
mission that is ever eager to expand and grow.

For more tips on developing systems for your business, email leijun@campbellbusinessservices.com!

Learning how to balance the operations and sales/marketing of your business with the systems and processes of your business is crucial to establishing
a path for future success and growth. Creation, development, auditing, documentation and collaboration represent five steps you can take to make these
objectives achievable.

What do you feel are ways that your company has developed practical processes?

No sooner do businesses open their doors or offer services and they are already looking to the future growth and scale of the business. Most likely the
owner/founder is aware of all the responsibilities and tasks that need to be managed. They may even delegate some of these responsibilities. As they
look to future growth they may also look into financing. All of these are important to a strong business, however, to have a strong foundation built
for that business is best. Remember that your company will never grow to be bigger than the strength of its practical processes.

Solid processes offer a systemic approach to operating the business as well as a more organized business creating less chaos at growth time. Here are a
few steps to creating a process for each area of your business.

1. Better out than in

Get all of that information about your business and how to run it out of your head and down on paper or recorded digitally. Include everything that you
can think of to establish the basis for a manual format (this will serve as your company’s operations manual).

2. Start things right on Day One, not later

Think back to Day One. Think of of the steps/procedures it took to get the business running (most importantly, the procedures that are done regularly and
that are vital to the business). You need to refer back to your Day One philosophy on every procedure.

3. Shadow yourself

Start writing down every literal step you take a given day running the business. Take time to “shadow” yourself; it will be frustrating but well worth
it. An intern can also help you establish these processes. Hiring someone who is interested in your type of business creates a win-win situation.

4. Fear the worst, Hope for the best

Think of any possible problems that could come up, identify those specific to your company and develop a process for dealing with them. Include these issues
and concerns in your eventual Operations Manual.

5. Ask for help

If you are a solopreneur, ask a friend that you know will provide sound, objective advice; if you have a manager or employee ask them to review the information
you have and provide feedback. It is possible that you missed something or they may have information to add.

6. Sharing is caring

Create and share your processes or the full Operations Manual you have now created. If you are a solopreneur you will now be ready when growth happens.

Last time, we provided you a checklist of things to have in place for healthy financial management. This week, we want to continue our discussion on financial
health for your business.

Why is it important to know your company’s overall financial health and to do checkups regularly? A good financial process will assist you in making
broader financial decisions as well as day-to-day decisions.

Consider the following items when evaluating your company’s financial health:

1) Review your Profit and Loss and Balance Sheet reports – Include any additional key players on your team in these reviews. Be sure they
understand these reports so they can offer input.

2) Start all monthly/quarterly meetings with a financial update - This keeps key team members in the know and helps explain targeted goals. Have
a consistent time and place as well as know who really needs to be in the room for each meeting.

3) Be aware of Sales Goals and Sales Pipelines - Have these in writing with clearly defined benchmarks. Comparing sales from last year to
this year can also help you keep track of any increased revenue.

4) Know the costs for your business - Have an understanding of how your company spends money and where cutbacks may be needed. Refer to
your yearly budget and consult experts. Sound financial information is beneficial when you are figuring prices and selecting what vendors you can
afford.

5) Continue planning for the future - You want to constantly be innovating new ways to add value to your company and customers. Know your
key services and products. Keep track of the ones that are most popular/profitable and analyze why they are successful. Your documented financial
management processes can also help you grow your business when you are ready to try new ventures.

As a business owner, you want to be thoroughly involved with shaping the mission of your company as well as the team members who have joined you. However,
you may eventually reach a point where you begin stretching yourself too thin and need someone else to handle daily operations. Here are a few
qualities to look for when seeking out a manager that will help drive your vision and team forward.

The manager communicates effectively with the team, and in turn, the team trusts the manager - Communication and trust represent two of the
most important aspects of any relationship and are incredibly crucial in a business setting. Your manager should be able to articulate expectations,
objectives, and measurable goals in a way that motivates your team to perform beyond their potential. If the communication is open and effective,
the team will be able to put their trust in that manager and work alongside them to create the best results possible.

The manager stays organized and calm in any situation - Sure, we all lose our cool sometimes, but the manager of your business should have
a high enough emotional intelligence to where they do not explode or break down in a stressful environment. Your team looks to the manager for
leadership and guidance; they do not want to see their leader crumble. Also, the manager must plan ahead for any and projects and meetings. Nothing
strikes fear in the heart of a client or customer like a team who is not prepared to address their needs.

The manager cares about the customers and/or clients they are assisting - The last thing you want in a manager is disinterest or apathy
towards the people who ultimately hold your livelihood in their hands. You want a manager who inspires to team members to go beyond what is expected
in customer relationships. The manager should be a superb example of service and hospitality. Accepting anything less is detrimental to your team
and your business.

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Before focusing on elements such as sales & marketing, financial management and talent management and then delegating tasks to those specific departments,
a small business owner must understand why an operations manager is so crucial. Operations management sets the tone for the day-to-day tasks necessary
for a successful company.

Here are three ways describing how an operations manager is the heartbeat of your small business:

1) Selecting and cultivating relationships with your vendors - No matter how small or large your operation, you will need to contract
vendors for office supplies or product distribution. An operations manager will provide you the template for seeking out and using certain vendors,
whether that is the schedule for deliveries, certain contact persons or price points for different products.

2. Establishing daily procedures for employees - Your policies and procedure manuals are essential to providing structure within your
team. Click HERE for a list of items you should include. The procedures developed by your operations manager can help solidify the practical processes for new hire
training, team member absences and more.

3. Creating company objectives - Before releasing your sales and marketing teams out into the world, you must first provide them a
series of company-related goals to meet. These team members look to your guidance to provide them with a mission that permeates all their efforts.
Your operations manager can help clarify what is needed for the next month, six month or 1-year period.

To have more posts and tips like this sent directly to your inbox, click HERE.

Whether your team numbers two or twenty, developing practical processes for your business ensures the ability to maintain productivity in the different
components of your company. Here are a few areas that need these practical processes:

1) Operations -Your day-to-day management makes up the foundation for both the spontaneous and routine aspects of your business.
You can establish stability in your operations through a policies and procedures manual for all team members, the selection of your suppliers and vendors, and important checklists for your administrative and executive assistants.

2) Marketing and Sales - These areas of your business bring new life to your company as well as maintain the brand and voice of
your objectives. Be sure to assign goals to your sales team, so they can hit measurable results of acquiring new customers and clients. Provide a branding
guide for your marketing team that keeps the delivery of your products professional and consistent.

3) Finances - As worrisome as money can make people, you cannot ignore its significance in the maintenance and growth of your business.
Find consistent, practical processes to document and manage your revenue and cash flow. You do not want to mix up or lose important financial records,
especially when tax season comes along.

4) Talent - Unless you're a solopreneur, you rely on your team to accomplish the totality of your company goals. If you want your
team members and leaders to reach their full potential for your business, invest heavily in initial training and professional development.

After creating these practical processes, remember to evaluate them from time to time. You want your company to grow, so be willing to innovate when necessary.

As a small business owner, you and your team juggle many tasks. Some of these tasks are unique and change frequently. However, you also complete several
projects in the same way every single time.

Documenting processes creates a streamlined approach for effective management. Here are some reasons why your company should practice documentation.

1) Unexpected or planned absences – If your team is small, oftentimes an absent member can hinder productivity, especially if their position comprises of specific or specialized
tasks. Documenting processes allows your business to create specific instructions and objective for each position. Whether a team member is out with
the flu or is enjoying an island vacation for two weeks, you or one of your team members will keep the business on track by referencing your documented
processes.

2) A Unified Company Approach – We all have our preferences and habits when it comes to working and marking things off our to-do lists. However, no matter how big or small
your business is, some tasks and processes need to be uniform for everybody. Documenting processes such as clocking in/out, submitting expense reports
and creating presentations reduces confusions and helps speed up productivity for the various departments.

3) New Hire Training – One aspect prospective and new team members look for in a company is the depth of their new hire training. Documenting processes in one
central database allows managers to quickly create training materials for every department and position. Once training is complete, team members still
have the option to access the materials should any questions arise.

4) Process Review and Innovation – As important as documentation is, your company should also take time at least a few points during the year to review your processes. Ask
objective questions from your management and team members to see how things can be improved for each process. Be open to these suggestions will also
give your team members a sense of ownership in their position

Sometimes in the business and corporate worlds, we limit the roles of our executive assistants to simply clerical and administrative tasks. Yes, the
completion of this work helps sustain the daily operations of the company, but allowing your assistant to extend their reach and influence can
do wonders for your overall business growth.

Here a few ways you can make this happen:

1) Create a review and coaching system for your team – Everyone likes to know where they stand with a company, especially if
they are working to impact the business in a positive way. Take the initiative of scheduling monthly one-on-one reviews or coaching sessions where
you offer proactive feedback and encourage questions from your assistants.

2) Develop tasks that let assistants have more of a business-related role – Your assistant often is in charge of sending out
memos and emails as well as scheduling meetings for executives and team members. Allow these tasks to be augmented by other ways of company communication
such as creating email and social media marketing campaigns. These campaigns can open up several doors of effective service for current and potential
clients/customers.

3) If possible, allow assistants to attend and participate in important internal meetings – Providing a space for your assistants
to be a part of the greater business picture and culture lets them know that their opinions are welcomed and valid. These meeting invitations can
also help motivate them in their daily role and responsibilities, encouraging greater efficiency and innovation.

We just saw the end of the Halloween, and the Christmas decorations are going up in every store you can imagine. The office holiday parties are just
around the corner and using your executive assistant to help you with event planning will be key to making sure everything goes off without a hitch.

Here are just a few ways your executive assistant can help you put on a successful event:

1. Booking the venue and catering - Finding the best deals for these two key elements can sometimes leave you frustrated and
overwhelmed. Executive assistants use their skills of scheduling meetings and managing a variety of databases to research and reserve the best
venue and catering service well ahead of the event.

2. Creating promotional materials - If you're planning a major event that involves more than your small office staff, your
executive assistant(s) can use several methods to invite your clientele and other guests. Email marketing is an easy avenue to create a digital
announcement for a specified list. You can also create a public or private event on social networks such as Facebook. And of course, there's always
the physical flyers that can be created in programs such as Photoshop and delivered by mail to clients and/or local businesses.

3. Delegating responsibilities - Depending on the size of your event and/or budget, executive assistants can help recruit volunteers
to set up the space, sign up to bring items such as food, drinks, plates or cups, create activities for the gathering or clean up at the end of
the night.

No matter what kind of event you're planning, executive assistants are invaluable resources for success!